Luxury Machu Picchu Tours Unveiling Peru’s Timeless Wonders

Fly to Cusco to tour an ancient local hacienda and the Andean countryside.

This morning we’ll escort you back to the airport for your morning flight to Cusco. Watch the windows as the desert coast rises into the snow-capped peaks of the Andes!

Just 15 minutes outside of Cusco, true Peruvian countryside will stretch away on either side of you, sheep grazing tranquilly roadside. Impossibly steep peaks rise in the distance. Your journey will take you to an ancient hacienda, nestled in the fertile valley next to the pueblo of Pisac. Step onto the family-owned hacienda grounds and into centuries past while your hosts expound upon the growing process of giant white corn and its profound cultural significance in the Andes Mountains. This hacienda dates back generations, and you’ll immediately be immersed in local customs steeped in the spirits and mysticism of the Andes, embraced by the warmth of local Peruvians.

Relish your time on the farm with a delicious multi-course lunch with dishes featuring none other than the “white gold” giant-kernelled corn, and make sure to visit the on-site stables housing the renowned Peruvian Paso horses. Watch the horses dance with their human counterparts in a “marinera” demonstration and even go for a quick trot yourself if you feel up to the task!

After your meal, we will continue on to your hotel in the Sacred Valley where you can relax surrounded by the beautiful Andes Mountains.

Private tour of Ollantaytambo and enjoy a traditional Pachamanca feast

Today, we will take you to the ancient town of Ollantaytambo, one of the few remaining places in Peru that retains its original Incan urban planning. You’ll note still-functioning street canals, multi-family houses with secret interior courtyards and iconic Incan trapezoidal doors! Here we’ll visit the Incan fortress perched on the mountainside overlooking the sleepy pueblo, and learn about nearby stone quarries and the pivotal Incan battle fought here.

We hope you worked up an appetite this morning, because next on the schedule is a true Peruvian feast: the traditional Pachamanca! The centuries-old Pachamanca tradition involves marinating lamb, pork, chicken, and potatoes in a variety of Andean ingredients and cooking them to perfection in an underground oven. You’ll witness each step of the process: how the oven is prepared, how white-hot stones are layered, and how the feast materializes before your eyes!

While waiting for your feast to roast, make sure to wander through the grounds’ organic garden, smell the fresh-roasted coffee produced by the farm’s head roaster, and sample some of the varieties of cañazo (a local Andean spirit) that are produced on-site at the one-of-a-kind distillery.

Upon completion of your tour, we will bring you back to your hotel for an afternoon spent at leisure in the beautiful Sacred Valley.

Morning Hiram Bingham train through the cloud forest / Private tour of Machu Picchu

Prepare for a climactic day! In the morning, you will board the luxury Hiram Bingham train for your journey to Machu Picchu. Watch the cloud jungle pass by through the large glass windows and enjoy a gourmet lunch on-board! Make sure to take advantage of the open-air observatory car in this 1920’s Pullman-inspired train.

After a bus ride to the gates of this wonder of the world, you will pass through the main gates with your private guide to finally emerge at the top of the world – Machu Picchu. The incredible Inca stone construction will be spread below, alternately hidden and revealed by clouds. Your expert guide will lead you on a private tour of the ancient city.

Upon conclusion of your tour, return for an evening in Aguas Calientes. Enjoy an excellent dinner on-site at your hotel and fall into bed, lulled to sleep by the sound of the cloud forest around you.

Enjoy a leisurely breakfast at your hotel this morning, and lace up your hiking boots.

If you’re feeling adventurous, you can hike up the iconic sugarloaf peak in the background of the classic Machu Picchu postcard photo – Huayna Picchu! Delight in an alternate perspective of Machu Picchu from the top of what is certainly a true feat of engineering.

After a delicious lunch, you will descend to Aguas Calientes for your return Hiram Bingham train. Take advantage of the Belmond waiting room at the train station, and once onboard you’ll be served a gourmet dinner accompanied by live Andean musicians. We will be waiting in the station for you when you arrive and will bring you to your hotel for an evening at leisure.

Learn to make Chicha before Exploring Maras and Moray on Horseback

Today we enjoy a special day, visiting several treasures of the Sacred Valley of the Incas, off-the beaten path, and away from the crowds.

Surrounded by colorful mountains, hummingbirds, and horses, you will learn and participate hands on how to make Chicha de Jora, the traditional drink of the Incas – a type of delicious and refreshing corn beer. You will also experience the ritual ceremonies that take place when drinking Chicha.

You will then enjoy a lunch of tasty and colorful Peruvian flavors, descending from diverse cultures.

This afternoon, you will enjoy a day of easy horseback riding along the footsteps of the Incas a top the famous Peruvian Paso horses. We will spend approximately 3 ½ hours riding through the mountains, visiting the Maras salt mines, the quaint, colonial village of Maras, and the archeological site of Moray, an agricultural experimentation and development center of the Incas.

From here we begin our return to the ranch, descending through large expanses of farmland, with spectacular views of the mountains and fields. This part of the ride is a beautiful mix of peaceful landscapes and adventurous riding, perfect for all experience levels.

Upon completion of your tour, your private transport will bring you to your hotel in Cusco.

Explore the hidden cobblestone streets of historical Cusco on a private city tour!

It’s time to get acquainted with Cusco, a gorgeous city that wins the heart of most every traveler that passes through it. Get to know the real Cusco during a private tour. After breakfast, meet your guide and wander among the archaeological remains of Sacsayhuaman, where the Incas staged a great battle against the conquistadors.

Return to the city and roam the atmospheric streets of the bohemian neighborhood of San Blas, which is known for its free-spirited scene. Explore Qoricancha and the Santo Domingo monastery (a colonial structure built on top of the ancient Inca temple of the sun); see where the locals make their grocery runs at the open-air San Pedro market and pass the famous 12-angled stone, whose image appears on the bottle of the local Cusqueña beer.

Upon conclusion of your tour your guide will leave you with suggestions as to where you find a delicious, local lunch, and you’ll have the remainder of the afternoon to explore the Imperial City at your leisure.

Fly to Lima – Colonial tour of the capital – Return home

This morning, we will escort you to the airport for your flight to Lima. Watch the windows as the snow-capped peaks of the Andes become coastal desert! Your Kuoda Lima host will meet you when you touch down in Lima.

Enjoy a ride along the coast as your private driver brings you to the Pueblo Libre neighborhood, home to the Larco Herrera Museum. Housing the country’s largest collection of pre-Columbian artifacts (including extensive gold and silver collections, as well as the infamous erotic archaeological collection) and providing rare open access to their exquisitely catalogued storage area, this museum is the perfect introduction to Peru’s multi-faceted cultural history. First, you’ll begin your visit with a delicious lunch enjoyed on the vine-covered terrace of the Museum’s café, and then you’ll have time to explore the exhibits.

We will take a private tour of Lima that will bring you to the beautiful colonial center of the city. You will visit the Lima Cathedral and the Convent of San Francisco. The catacombs under the convent house the skeletal remains of much of colonial Lima!

We will also visit Casa Aliaga, a 1535 mansion – it is one of the oldest mansions in the New World and has been occupied by the Aliaga family since its construction.

At the appropriate time, we will bring you to the airport for your journey home.

Thank you for traveling with Kuoda Travel, and buen viaje!